Football: Bayern Completes Hummels Deal

Bayern Munich have completed their second signing of the day, signing Bourisia Dortmund center back Mats Hummels.

Hummels has been linked with the Bavarian club where he started his career and will now link up with his new side at the end of the season. Hummels, whose Dortmund contract was due to expire in 2017, has not yet passed a medical with Bayern but the details of the transfer have been agreed.Details of the fee were announced but Dortmund were reported to be demanding around €35 million for the Germany centre-back, which would represent the highest ever transfer fee for a Bundesliga player entering the final 12 months of a contract.Dortmund had been obliged to issue a statement last month confirming that the 27-year-old had indicated that he wanted to return to Bayern, where he had started his career before moving to the Westfalenstadion, initially on loan, in 2008.

There had been reports in Germany that Hummels had since changed his mind and was ready to sign a contract extension with BVB, but chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke told Sky at the weekend: “The ball is in his court.”On Tuesday, Watzke said in a statement on Dortmund’s official website: “Mats Hummels has decided after long, intense reflections to return to his native Munich, eight-and-a-half years after his move to BVB.”I want to stress that he has always acted openly and fairly toward us. Mats won two Bundesliga titles and the 2012 double. He reached the 2013 Champions League final with us and won the 2014 World Cup as a Dortmund player.”We respect Mats’ decision and our wish for him and for BVB is that he gets the recognition he deserves in his last weeks as a ‘black and yellow’ and leaves Dortmund with the DFB Pokal in his hands.”

Hummels was delighted with the transfer,saying: “It was not an easy decision for me after eight-and-a-half years at BVB. I was always proud, and I still am, to wear the BVB jersey and be part of this extraordinary team.”Before I return to my hometown in the summer, we all have one big common goal: To again bring the DFB Pokal to Dortmund and celebrate a football party with the BVB fans. I will give it my all for that, just like my teammates. I would like to dearly thank my teammates, the employees and the fans for this long and wonderful time in black and yellow.”

Hummels is set to become the third BVB player to join Bayern since the summer of 2013, when Mario Gotze activated a release clause in his contract. In 2014, Robert Lewandowski moved to the Allianz Arena on a free transfer.

Chukwuyem Ogala is a content writer at Edliner. A multifaceted personality with a degree in Economics. He has a strong passion for Rap music and sports. A big fan of the NBA, likes Rafael Nadal and has a crush on Serena Williams. Chuks just strives to be better and wants to be heard globally.